Continuous wine-press



(No Model.)

vC. K.VKIRBY.

v CONTINUOUS WI1\TE,PRESS.` No. 603,880. Y Patented May 10,1898.

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. Ilinrrnn STATES,"

PATENT Ormes,

CHARLES K. KIRBY, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA,

CONTINUOUS WINE-PRl-:ss

SPECIFICATION forming' part 0f LetterS Patent NO. 603,880, dated May 10, 1898.

Application filed September 14, 1897, Serial No. 651,632; (No model.)

To all whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLns K. KIRBY, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city and county of San Francisco and State of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Continuous Wine- Presses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to the general class of presses, and especially to those adapted for pressing grapes. Its object is to present the grapes to the action of the'presser-plates or jaws in a comparatively thin layer and to make this presentation practically continuous by means of a rapid and accurate feed in such manner that the layer is constantly supplied or renewed at one end by sufficient fresh material to compensate for that discharged from the other end. Thus the grapes are exposed to the pressing force to the best advantage to be equally and uniformly crushed, and by making the layer presented one which is being constantly renewed by fresh portions in sections shorter than the length of the layer, the grapes are subjected to a number of actions of the jaws before any given portion or section is discharged, and this operation isconstant, giving to the machine the character of a continuous press.

My invention consists in the novel construction and combination of the pressingplates or jaws and the feed mechanism, which I shall hereinafter fully describe, together with details of adjustment and arrangement combining to secure perfect results.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my machine.` Fig. 2 is a plan of the same. Fig. 3 is alongitudinal section on line of Fig. 2.

A is a suitable frame. j

Bis the lower or moving presser or jaw, consisting of a suitably-apertured plate perforated or, as preferredgrated by longitudinal spaced bars, so that the juice or must may pass through freely. This jaw is adapted to have a swinging motion, and in order to make its working surface rise and fall through nearly the same arc throughout its length I lengthen the radius by extending a dropped arm b rearwardly and making the pivotal center for the jaw at b considerably back of its working portion or surface. Thus the space between the two jaws in which the layer `of grapes is compressed will not differ very materially in depth between its discharge and supply ends, being, however, shallower at the discharge end, as is proper to provide for a strong final pressure.

C is the upper or fixed j aw or presser-plate ribbed for strength at c. By fixed Imean that no reciprocating movement is given to it, though its proper adjustment is provided for by hinging it at c' and carrying its forward end adj ustably by means of the screws D, working through the cross-bar E. Thus the upper jaw is held and may be adjusted to regulate the space between the two jaws to accommodate such thickness of layer to'be crushed as may be desired. This space between the jaws is open at the front end, where the discharge of the crushed grapes takes place, and it is also open, as seen in Fig. 3, at the rear end, which is the entrance or feed end for the fresh portion or section of grapes by which the layer being crushed is keptconstant. Into this supply end is tted and adapted to slide a plunger or feed-plateF, operating under the lower end of hopperG and under the cover or guide-plate II, Fig. Stand directly over a grating I, under which may be arranged any suitablecleaner to keep the spaces of the grating clear. Torthis plunger or feed-plate F is given a reciprocating movementby suitable connections, such asthose which I shall presently describe, and its stroke is such that when drawn back it withdraws from under the hopper, thus freeing the discharge therefrom and permitting the grapes to drop down from said hopper onto the grating I. VOn its forward stroke it pushes a charge of grapes into the space between the jaws, and this charge being added to the layer therein forms part of it and causes the advance of the whole layer sufficiently to discharge a corresponding portion (now lthoroughly pressed) of the layer from the forward end of the space, thus making the operation continuous.

If desired, the lower jaw may have alshort hinge connection at b2.

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The power connections to impart the neces- J is the driving-shaft, carrying the usual fast and loose pulleysK and fly-wheel L. The shaft has a crank j, from which extends a pitman M to a cross-head N, sliding in suitable guides n. From the ends of this cross-head extend connecting-rods O, the forward ends of which are joined to the crank-arms P, fixed to a rock-shaft Q, having the short cams q, the antifriction-rollers q of which work under a suitable bearing-surface at the forward end of jaw B, as shown in Fig. 3. The oscillation of shaft Q thus effects, through the short cams q, the required movement of jaw I3. From the sliding cross-head N extend bars or rods f to the plunger F, whereby its stroke is effected.

R is an underlying drip-pan to receive the must from the jaw B and from the grating I. This pan is to have the usual hose connection.

The operation of the press is as follows: The grapes are supplied to the hopper G, and when the plunger or feed-plate F is drawn back the grapes rest upon the grating I, and such drip as may take place at this point passes down through the grating I and into the drip-pan. When the plungeris moved forward, it pushes a bottom layer from the grapes resting on grating I forward into the space between the jaws and upon successive strokes pushes further charges in, until a layer of grapes lies between the'jaws their full length. Succeeding charges added to the rear of the layer causes a corresponding section to be discharged from the front. In the meantime, however, the layer is being subjected to the successive actions of the jaws, and it follows, therefore, that there is a continuous presentation of a comparatively thin layer of grapes to the pressing action, resulting in effectively expressing the must and with proper speed. The relative movements of the jaw and the plunger are such that as the jaw descends or withdraws, thereby relieving the layer from pressure, the plunger advances and pushes the fresh section of grapes from under the hopper into position between the jaws,which action it is enabled to effect without itself unduly crushing the grapes, for the reason that at the time of such feed the whole layer is relieved of pressure bythe downward movement of jaw B and can therefore slip forward readily as a whole. The layer being now complete between the jaws, the jaw B rises to press it and the plunger withdraws ready for another feed.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A continuous wine-press, consisting of opposing presser-plates or jaws with positive means for effecting their approach and separation to alternately press and relieve the layer of grapes lying in the space between them, a supply device to present the grapes in line with the rear end of said space, and a reciprocating plunger or feed-plate adapted to force the grapes, in successive charges, into the rear end of said space, whereby a section of the pressed layer is successively discharged from the front end thereof.

2. A continuous wine-press consisting of opposing presser-plates or jaws, adapted to receive the grapes in the space between them, a supply device to present the grapes in line with the rear end of said space, a reciprocating plunger, adapted to force the grapes, in successive charges, into the rear end of said space, and a positive means for effecting the approach and separation of said jaws substantially synchronously with the withdrawal and feed, respectively of the plunger,whereby the layer of grapes between the jaws is alternatelyl pressed and relieved, and sections thereof discharged from the front end, as successive charges are fed-to the rear end.

8. A continuous wine-press, consisting of opposing presser-plates or jaws, one of which is adapted to move or swing toward and from the other, to alternately press and relieve the grapes lying in the space between them, a supply device to present the grapes in line with the rear end of said space, a reciprocating plunger, adapted to force the grapes, in successive charges, into the rear end of said space, and a positive mechanism for directly swinging the movable presser-plate or jaw and reciprocating the plunger, in such time, that as the jaw presses the layer of grapes, the plunger is Withdrawn for a fresh charge, and as the jaw relieves the layer, the plunger advances and forces the fresh charge into the rear end of the space between the jaws thereby advancing the whole layer and discharging a portion from the front end of the space.

4:. A continuous wine-press, consisting of an upper fixed jaw or presser-plate, an opposing lower swinging jaw or presser-plate, apertured, to permit the flow through it of the expressed must, a hopper back of the fixed jaw and a fixed grating below the hopper and back of the swinging jaw, said hopper and grating forming a means for presenting the grapes in line with the rear end of the space between the jaws, and a reciprocating plunger or feed-plate operating between the hopper and grating and adapted to force the grapes lying in the plane of its movement into said space, whereby they are continuously pressed and discharged from 4the front end thereof, as successive charges are fed to the rear end.

5. A continuous wine-press consisting of a fixed jaw or presser-plate, an opposing swinging jaw or presser-plate, a supply device comprising a hopper and underlying support, adapted to present the grapes in line with the rear end of the space between the jaws, a reciprocating plunger or feed-plate, adapted to force the grapes in successive charges into said space, and a hinge connection for the swinging jaw, passing below and swung from a pivotal center back of said supply device.

6. A continuous wine-press, consisting of opposing presser-plates or jaws, means for swinging one of said jaws, to press the grapes IOO IIO

in the space between them, means for adjusting the other jaw, to regulate the depth or thickness of said space, a supply device to present the grapes in line with the rear end of said space, and a reciprocating plunger or feed-plate, adapted to force the grapes, in successive charges, into the rear end of said space, whereby they are continuously pressed and discharged from the front end thereof, as successive charges are fed to the rear end.

7. A continuous wine-press, consisting of opposing presser-plates or j aws, relatively movable and adjustable, to press and to relieve the grapes lying in the space between them and to regulate the depth of said space, a supply device to present the grapes in line with the rear end of said space, a reciprocathand.

CHARLES K. KIRBY. Witnesses A. C. RossER, F. W. KIRBY. 

